Attack on Christmas Market in Magdeburg, Germany: 2 Dead, Including Child, 60 Injured

Attack on Christmas Market in Magdeburg, Germany: 2 Dead, Including Child, 60 Injured

Magdeburg, Germany: A tragic attack took place at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, resulting in the deaths of at least two people, including a child, and injuring more than 60 others. On Friday (December 20), a black BMW car driven by a Saudi doctor crashed into the crowded Christmas market.

The suspect, a 50-year-old man who has been living in Germany for nearly two decades and worked in the medical profession, has been detained for questioning. However, no clear motive has been provided for the attack.

The attacker identified himself as a former Muslim and had made anti-Islamic comments in the past, even congratulating Muslims on renouncing their faith in posts on Twitter. He criticized the German government for not taking sufficient action against Islamists and was also a supporter of the far-right and anti-immigrant political party, AfD.

Peter Neumann, a leading terrorism expert in Germany, stated, “It’s really shocking to see someone with this kind of violent behavior involved in such an incident. A 50-year-old Saudi ex-Muslim, who supported AfD and seemed to want revenge against Germany’s Islamic tolerance—this is something we never anticipated.”

The attack has deeply shaken Germany. The mayor of Magdeburg was emotionally moved by the tragedy, which has cast a dark shadow over the Christmas celebrations. Following the incident, several cities in Germany closed their Christmas markets for safety and solidarity reasons.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Interior Minister Nancy Faeser are scheduled to visit Magdeburg on Saturday, where a memorial service will be held at the cathedral.

Magdeburg, located about 200 kilometers west of Berlin and the capital of Saxony-Anhalt, has been engulfed in a wave of grief following the attack.